Deep Within, Beneath the Skin
by LupaLight
Summary: Ichigo's Inner Hollow is beginning to twist Ichigo's mind into insanity, how long can Ichigo hold him back? No pairings/No Yaoi. Coarse Language and Violence
1. Monster

**Rated Teen: Coarse Language and Violence**

**R&R please :) Basically this is during the phase where Ichigo's Inner Hollow begins to take over, I used lines from the song Monster by Skillet because the lyrics were perfect for this story also I was listening to it while writing ;) **

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**Deep Within, Beneath the Skin**

**CHAPTER ONE**

The rain had begun to pour over Karakura Town. The earth was pounded into mud by the relentless torrent. Ichigo looked up, the miserable, black sky was reflected in his brown irises. I hate the rain. He thought glumly to himself. He never had liked the rain, it always reminded him of that day, when he had been so powerless, that he wasn't able to protect his mother. Just like he wasn't able to protect Inoue from those Arrancar the other day.

He hoisted his bag, packed with schoolwork, on to his shoulder and continued to walk forward.

By the time Ichigo got home, he was soaked through. He opened the door, shaking his orange-coloured hair to free some of the water.

"Welcome home Ichi–nii!" Yuzu said just before Ichigo dodged a flying kick from his Dad.

"Honestly Dad!" Karin had come downstairs and stepped deliberately on Isshin's head. "You're.. too.. old.. for .. this!" She exclaimed, punctuating each word with a stomp.

"I'll be in my room till dinner" Ichigo mumbled as he trudged upstairs. He was glad Kon wasn't around when he opened his bedroom door, throwing his bag onto a chair and lying down on his bed, listening to the rain tap it's fingers on the window.

Then he heard it, a ringing laughter right next to his ears. He bolted upright and backed up against the wall. But the laughter didn't stop, it got louder until it filled his whole conscience.

_**I feel it deep within, **_

_**It's just beneath the skin, **_

He closed his eyes, trying to block out the sound. Then he saw him. Shirosaki, his inner hollow. The twisted mirror image of himself. The white hair, the white skin and insane, gleeful grin. But the worst was the eyes, golden yellow irises and where there should have been white was black. The very eyes themselves seemed to be already devouring Ichigo's soul.

_**My secret side I keep, **_

_**Hid under lock and key.**_

_**I keep it caged but I can't control it.**_

_**Cause if I let him out, **_

_**He'll tear me up, break me down.**_

"_Ah King, what's with the doom and gloom. It's depressin' lighten up will ya? You have me to talk to you know."_

Shirosaki's mocking voice reverberated around Ichigo's mind.

"Get lost, you freaking hollow"

"_Che, well that would be no fun, would it? But you seem to be descending on your own anyways, so I'm just here to help ya along." _

"I'm not going mad, you bastard!"

"_Well for starters ya do look like you're talkin' to yourself"_

"Shut the hell up!"

Shirosaki sniggered, once again sending ice through Ichigo's nerves, beads of sweat began dripping down his face. He still saw the taunting face, even though his eyes were open. His waking nightmare.

_**I hate what I've become, **_

_**The nightmare's just begun. **_

He knew his sanity was beginning to slip further and further out of reach, he was constantly forcing the hollow back and he knew Shirosaki was getting stronger.

Suddenly he heard a loud screech from his bedside table.

"Holy shi.." Ichigo spun around to see that it was his Shinigami Combat Pass, telling him a hollow was nearby.

"_Heh, you sure are jumpy today" _Shirosaki remarked snidely.

Ichigo ignored him, pressing the badge to his chest, which forced out his soul and jumped out of his body in his Shinigami form. Black Shihakusho and a huge sword as long as his body wrapped in white cloth on his back. Ichigo leapt out of his window and flash-stepped through the rain, over the small houses.

He felt the hollow's reiatsu before he saw it. It didn't seem particularly strong. It was an ugly thing, with two horns jutting out of it's head and the body of a lion. Giant claws protruded from huge paws and ripped the muddy ground beneath them to shreds, the white mask had green lines down the short snout. It's tail flicked angrily, the tip of it seemed to be metallic, glowing red eyes flashed warningly.

Ichigo grabbed the hilt of Zangetsu, the white cloth wrappings fell away revealing a menacing black sword, similar to a giant cleaver, with a lethal silver edge. He leapt forward, swinging the sword over his head, with a roar he began to bring it down to slice the hollow in half. But it moved faster then he expected and it's tail flicked past his face.

"What the.."

Something cut him; the blood trickled from the slash on the side of his face. The hollow's tail was not only metallic, it was tipped with a sharp edge. It swung around preparing to attack.

"Shit!"

"_Pathetic, Ichigo. Need help?"_

"Go away!"

Ichigo flash-stepped out of the way and jumped high into the air, finally bringing down his zanpakutou and slashing right through the creature's mask. Blood sprayed onto the wet ground, mingling with the rain then a mist engulfed the hollow and cleared it away.

"See I didn't need your help after all" Ichigo said smugly as he wiped the hollow's blood off the black blade.

"_Let me ask you something, Ichigo. When a horse throws off its king, what happens?"_

Ichigo didn't reply, he had become very still. The rain was still hammering down but the Shinigami didn't notice. He could see Shirosaki again; he saw the malevolent grin. He saw the black and yellow eyes.

"_The king gets trampled"_

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_**To Be Continued…**_

_**Please let me know what you think and how I can improve =)**_


	2. Papercut

**Rating: Teen – **Violence + Course Language

No pairings, I was planning to make this chapter longer but ending it where I did seemed fitting and it's sorta similar to the anime ;D

**Song Used: **Papercut – Linkin Park.

The lyrics were so perfect! ^^

Enjoy! Please R&R!

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**Deep Within, Beneath the Skin**

**CHAPTER TWO**

Ichigo leapt back though his window and merged his soul back into his body. The Combat Pass stayed mercifully silent. The last thing Ichigo felt like doing was going back out into the driving rain and fighting another hollow. He was exhausted.

"Ichi-nii! Dinner's ready!" Yuzu's small voice carried up from the kitchen.

"Coming!"

After dinner, Ichigo staggered back into his room and crashed back on his bed. He thought of Rukia, he wondered how she was going. He missed her. He missed her sitting in his closet drawing in her sketchbook. He even missed the horrible drawings! He thought again of those Arrancar. Inoue was still wearing bandages at school today and Chad hadn't even come to school.

"_For cryin' out loud, ya sulkin' again!?"_

"Piss off."

Ichigo shoved Shiro back with a large wave of reiatsu. He saw him stumble and fall back, the Shinigami allowed himself a small grin.

"_You little shit-!_" The yellow eyes flashed dangerously.

Ichigo laughed softly to himself, his skin prickled as it sounded in his ears, it sounded disturbingly like the one he feared so much. The one that plagued him every waking moment. He was becoming like _him_.

_**Why does it feel like night today? **_

_**Something in here's not right today. **_

_**Why am I so uptight today? **_

_Paranoia's all I got left…_

No! He could never become like the hollow! He didn't love battle, he didn't seek out battles just to sate his lust for the fight, he didn't relish blood and pain like Shirosaki did... Didn't he?

"_Heh. King, your losin' it." _Shirosaki remarked snidley.

Then the hollow's laughter was back, resounding loud in his ears. He's entire being felt like it had been doused with icy water, he couldn't stop shaking. Why was he shaking? Did he fear his other side that much? Was he really that weak?

_**But I know just what it feels like **_

_**To have a voice in the back of my head**_

He shut his eyes tightly and covered his ears trying to block it out. But how could he possibly block something that was already inside of him? Ichigo drifted off into fitful sleep, with the tormenting laughter still echoing within his mind.

Ichigo opened his eyes. Blue sky and buildings were all around him. They were skyscrapers but they were all turned on their side. This was his Inner World. Why was he here?

"_Hey, long time no see, your Majesty."_

Only one person would call him that, he spun around to see the bleached version of himself grinning at him. He held his own version of Zangetsu loosely over his shoulder. It was a white cleaver instead of Ichigo's black one, with a lethal black edge.

He ran a single black finger-nailed finger gently over the blade, the yellow eyes watching the little beads of crimson blood drip from the small cut. He ran a blue tongue over his lips. Ichigo took a step back from the sadistic nightmare in front of him. The yellow irises flicked to Ichigo's direction.

"_So you came here seeking a fight, huh King?"_

"No I-"

_**It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within **_

_**It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin**_

Suddenly Shirosaki flashed from view and Ichigo hastily drew his sword to clash with the hollow's blade. Shiro grinned at him, the two swords shook violently.

"_Of course you did. Why else would you choose to come here?"_

"Choose?"

"_Yes, you seek battles, you seek blood, the lust for the fight is growin' on ya"_

"I'm not like you, you freak!"

Shirosaki's smirk widened at the insult.

"_Not yet, but how long are ya gonna keep this up? How long do you seriously think can hold me back?"_

Ichigo's head snapped up. "No-"

"_Yeah, that's right. I'm your other side. Your stronger side. Your sanity is hangin' by a thread and once it snaps and I take the throne. She'll be the first to go."_

"Bastard! I won't let you touch her!"

A horrible screeching sound echoed throughout the inner world as the two swords broke apart. Shirosaki stood, confident and relaxed, Ichigo stood, tense and alert. Powerful waves of reiatsu began to envelop them. Yellow irises drove into the brown ones, then Shiro flashed from view and reappeared in front of Ichigo, the swords clashing violently once again.

Ichigo grimaced, putting all his weight into Zangetsu and throwing the hollow off. Shirosaki was laughing wildly, intoxicated with the promise of a bloody fight. Then he tossed his zanpakutou into the air, nimbly catching the black cloth that trailed off the hilt and began to spin the sword above his head. Grinning madly he threw the over-sized cleaver straight at Ichigo, who just managed to flash step to the side to avoid the lethal blade.

"What the hell-!" Ichigo exclaimed, he couldn't believe that he had forgotten all about the hollow's fighting style.

Shiro laughed as he pulled the sword back towards him, catching it easily by the hilt.

_**It's like a whirlwind inside of my head…**_

"_You forgot didn't ya? You forgot how much better I am __**at mastering Zangetsu**__!" _

Shirosaki's voice pitch rose hysterically, he spun the zanpakutou into a blur over his head again and flash-stepped from view.

Ichigo's heart was racing, he couldn't see his alter-ego anymore, he spun around, looking desperately. Just in time to see the white sword slicing through the air, toward him.

"Crap-!" He yelled as the sword skimmed past him, cutting his side. Blood dripped from the small wound.

"_Ooh, Nice reflexes, __**King**__!" _The jeering voice reverberated throughout the buildings.

"Shut up!" Ichigo growled. He swore again as the white blade shot toward him again, the Shinigami held up Zangetsu to block it, the swords collided with an almighty crash.

Hysterical laughter sounded next to Ichigo, he spun around. But nothing was there.

_**It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back…**_

Ichigo stood still as he fought against rising panic. "_I'm your other side. Your stronger side..." _He remembered Shiro's could he possible defeat his stronger side?

"_Che, so ya've given up?" _Shirosaki flash-stepped into view again, spinning his sword lazily from the black cloth hilt wrappings.

"No... I'm gonna defeat you." Ichigo snarled.

"_Interestin'... How do ya plan to do that?" _

"Like this!" Ichigo extended his arm, pointing Zangetsu forward. The white cloth on the hilt entwined itself around his arm.

"_You really don't get it, do ya?" _Shirosaki caught the hilt of his zanpakutou and pointed it forward, the black cloth wrappings twirling around his arm. What the hell? He knows it too-? Ichigo thought to himself. Shiro smirked. They stood facing each other, tendrils of reiatsu began to envelop them. Ichigo's brown irises burned with blue fire.

"Ban-"

"_KAI!"_

_**The sun goes down **_

_**I feel the light betray me…**_

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_Next chapter coming soon! Please Review _


	3. Downfall

**_Rated T_ - Violence, Blood, Swearing**

**_Song Used_ - Downfall: Trust Company**

Warning, this chapter is very dark! Finally done! Enjoy! More info at the end ;D

Bleach (C) Tite Kubo

Please R&R :)

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**Deep Within, Beneath the Skin**

**CHAPTER THREE:**

**_DOWNFALL_**

"Ban-"

"_KAI!"_

The powerful word, uttered by both Shinigami and Hollow, triggered them both to emit stifling waves of reiatsu. Wind billowed wildly throughout the inner world, twisting around the horizontal, blue skyscrapers. The two figures were enveloped completely until only their silhouettes could be seen.

Then a white blade cut through the screen, clearing it away and revealing Shirosaki. He was wearing a white, tight-fitting version of a shihaksho, lined with black. His pale, black finger-nailed hand held a white sword, the great cleaver had been replaced by a slimmer blade. A sword that seemed to have a more deadly purpose. Tensa Zangetsu.

It had the appearance of a normal zanpakutou, except the amount of reiatsu that lay within the blade contradicted any thoughts that it was weak. A small white chain trailed off the end of the hilt. The dust cleared away completely, showing Ichigo. He was wearing the same attire but it was black, edged with white. He was clutching a sword exactly the same, yet the white was replace with black. Ichigo grimaced, Shiro smirked.

**Go!**

They both flash-stepped from view and reappeared, clashing the blades together with a thunderous crash.

"Bastard! When the hell did you learn how to use Bankai?" Ichigo snarled to his mirror image.

"_God, you're slow! I learnt it the same time you did!" _The blades broke apart, leaving trails of black and white reiatsu.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo bellowed, swinging his black sword down, releasing a crescent-shaped wave of black, red-outlined reiatsu. Shiro narrowed his eyes, grinning. He held up a single hand and simply, swiped it away.

"One handed-?!" Ichigo muttered in shock. The hollow flashed from view.

"He's fast!"

Then the Shinigami felt blinding pain slicing through his back. He turned his head to see Shirosaki. He was grinning wildly, the yellow eyes wide with madness, his white zanpakutou, stained with crimson blood. Ichigo's blood.

"_Can't catch up, can ya, King?" _The hollow taunted maliciously. Disappearing from view once again.

"Crap-!" Ichigo swung his sword around to block Shiro's sword. The blades clashed with a crack of thunder, a nearby building began to crumble. Ichigo tried, in vain, to throw him off. Then Shirosaki grinned, raising his hand over his zanpakutou and uttering softly:

"_Getsuga Tensho"_

Ichigo was blinded by a brilliant, white light. A violent explosion shattered the still air, throwing Ichigo back and slamming him to the ground by the sheer force. He felt searing pain and warm blood running down his face. He saw the crimson liquid trickling from gashes on his chest and arms to the cold, blue floor. His attire was torn, ragged and stained red.

_**I feel these wounds, step down, step down,**_

_**step down.**_

He could do this with one Getsuga Tensho? Ichigo thought in horror.

"_Your stronger side..." _Surely not this strong? Shiro walked casually toward him, in mid-air. Looking contemptuously down at him, the hollow laughed softly. Ichigo felt the panic rise, he had no chance against this nightmare. The thought hit him like a kick to the gut. He wasn't going to win.

_**Fear in me so deep it gets the best of me.**_

He did what his instincts were screaming at him to do. He ran. His frantic footsteps echoed around the silent world. Shirosaki's laughter became even louder, high pitched and more hysterical.

"_Where do ya think your goin' King?" _The patronising voice asked.

_**Can I break away?**_

_**Push me away, make me fall,**_

_**Just to see, another side of me.**_

Where was he going? The Shinigami didn't know, he was trapped here, within his own mind. And if he kept this up, he was going to die here too. Shirosaki would take over his soul, he would rule and the hollow would tear, every one he held dear, to shreds. Slashing his whole life, his identity into pieces.

There was a white blur and then Shirosaki was standing in front of him, his smirk rooted Ichigo to the spot, the yellow eyes held him transfixed in fear. Rendering him completely and utterly helpless.

_**Just come face to face with me.**_

Then a white, black finger-nailed hand, slammed into his face, throwing him back, hitting a blue skyscraper with a sickening crunch.

Ichigo was in a world of agony, he choked on the blood that had rose up his throat, gagging and spitting it out to the ground. He staggered to his feet, debris falling all around him. His vision was blurred and unfocused, almost blotted out by the blood running down his face. Shiro flash-stepped in front of him. Ichigo's entire being shook with fear and tried to back away.

"_Heh.."_

Then the cold, white hand had wrapped around Ichigo's throat, dragging him upward, off his feet. The hollow smiled smugly.

"_Gotcha"_

Then Ichigo was slammed onto the crumbling wall. He couldn't breathe, he retched and gasped for air, trying in vain to prise the strong fingers off his throat. Shiro suddenly had a strange expression on his face. It was something like disappointment. He sighed.

"_Ah Ichigo, why do ya have to make things so boring? Couldn't ya of least __**tried **__to put up a decent fight?"_

Shirosaki said softly, malice dripping off his every word.

"_Ya seriously believe you can suppress me, when __**this **__is how easy it is defeat you?"_

Shiro brought up the white Tensa Zangetsu to his victim's throat, which was slowly being crushed under his vice-like grasp. Shirosaki leaned forwards slightly and his satanic grin widened.

"_I could simply cut ya throat, here and now couldn't I? Then you wouldn't be King any longer, would ya? You'd disappear."_

Ichigo's eyes widened, fear raced through him. That's all it would take. The smirk on the hollow's face told him so. He was starting to lose conciousness, black was edging into his vision. Shiro brought the blade towards the vulnerable, pulsing jugular vein. Ichigo waited for the pain, he waited for the sword to slice through his throat. He waited for his end. The blade brushed his skin, nicking the skin and drawing small drops of blood.

"_But that wouldn't be much fun now, would it?"_

The hand released it's grip, Ichigo fell, limp, to the ground. The Shinigami staggered to his hands and knees, gulping lungfuls of air and coughing out blood. Then a foot struck his back.

"_See, the thing is, Ichigo. Your weak and you know it and ya wanna become stronger. You need instinct, raw instinct that awakens the desire to crush bone, tear flesh and slaughter. But you just don't have it. And that's what a King needs to stay on top. But look who's on the ground and look who's on top right now."_

Shiro pressed his foot down harder. Ichigo understood, he felt his whole body shake, fighting to not hit the ground.

"_Ya wanna gain more power and this can only be achieved through battle. Whether ya like it or not, your becomin' like me and ya gonna eventually snap"_

Ichigo felt himself blacking out again, surely he was dying. Shirosaki's voice sounded far away, but he could hear it. The words rang true. The voice's pitch raised hysterically.

"_And it's so much __**fun **__to watch your downfall, so I'm happy to sit back and watch till' it's my turn. You'll become the Horse and I'll become the King. And then their next._

"You... bastard..." Ichigo just manage to choke out, before Shiro's foot crashed hard into his back, sending him sprawling to the ground. Then the white Tensa Zangetsu was touching his throat again.

_**I walk, I crawl losing everything on the downfall.**_

"_Let me ask ya somethin' Ichigo." _Shirosaki kicked Ichigo from the side, sending him rolling onto his back. The deadly sting of the tip of the blade on Ichigo's throat.

"_If you compared a Horse and a King. Who would actually be stronger? If ya think about it the only thing that stops a Horse from throwing the King to the ground and trampling him to dust, is that it's been trained not too. However, that doesn't mean that it won't."_

The blade nicked the skin again, beads of blood appeared on Ichigo's throat.

"_You should keep that in mind next time ya try to hold me back."_

Ichigo's entire being was in a world of blurred pain, his vision was going black and just before he lost consciousness he heard Shiro whisper, mockingly into his ear.

"_Long live the king."_

_**Downfall, Fall.**_

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ZOMG! What did you think? I'm actually really happy how this chapter turned out.

Apologies for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors ^^' Usually I just get so swept up by the story that I don't pay much attention to that tedious stuff xD I got so inspired from other people's fantastic stories! It really helped me finish the chapter! :D

Some news about my other story I'll Crush Your World. I know a lot of people are keen to read the next chapter and I apologize for not writing much recently. It's just school and work is pretty busy! I have no time! D: But holidays are coming up so hopefully I'll get a bit done. I haven't had much inspiration for the story though, I'm sure I'll get it when the Bleach fillers end! :D

If you've actually read my ramblings till here then congratulations! Have a cookie!! *gives cookie*

That's all for now, please review, I'd love to hear what you think! :D


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